Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

1966

Action / Drama

Synopsis

George and Martha are a middle aged married couple, whose charged relationship is defined by vitriolic verbal battles, which underlies what seems like an emotional dependence upon each other. This verbal abuse is fueled by an excessive consumption of alcohol. George being an associate History professor in a New Carthage university where Martha's father is the President adds an extra dimension to their relationship. Late one Saturday evening after a faculty mixer, Martha invites Nick and Honey, an ambitious young Biology professor new to the university and his mousy wife, over for a nightcap. As the evening progresses, Nick and Honey, plied with more alcohol, get caught up in George and Martha's games of needing to hurt each other and everyone around them. The ultimate abuse comes in the form of talk of George and Martha's unseen sixteen year old son, whose birthday is the following day.

George and Martha are a middle aged married couple, whose charged relationship is defined by vitriolic verbal battles, which underlies what seems like an emotional dependence upon each other. This verbal abuse is fueled by an excessive consumption of alcohol. George being an associate History professor in a New Carthage university where Martha's father is the President adds an extra dimension to their relationship. Late one Saturday evening after a faculty mixer, Martha invites Nick and Honey, an ambitious young Biology professor new to the university and his mousy wife, over for a nightcap. As the evening progresses, Nick and Honey, plied with more alcohol, get caught up in George and Martha's games of needing to hurt each other and everyone around them. The ultimate abuse comes in the form of talk of George and Martha's unseen sixteen year old son, whose birthday is the following day.

Tech specs

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by Progbear-410 / 10

One of the greatest

Simply put, this is one of my favourite films of all time. Great acting, great writing and great camerawork make this close to cinematic perfection. Liz Taylor and Richard Burton give the performances of their lives. Sandy Dennis also shines in an early-ish role. It's a dramatic film, but the wicked humour that permeates the film is absolutely devastating, and I mean that in the best possible way. Many moments in the film I find myself laughing only to think, "Should I be laughing at this." Certainly the film is loaded with uncomfortable moments, enhanced by the camerawork replete with uneasy close-ups. Most of all, this film shows how a lot can be accomplished with just a little: a cast of four and minimal scenery changes. "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf" has become an absolute icon of American cinema. If you haven't seen it, what are you waiting for?

Reviewed by whitecaps6 / 10

I think it cops out.

The ending at the film gives a partial explanation for the behavior of George and Martha and their 'games' but I don't think it's sufficient. Maybe I'm the one who missed it, but George doesn't just play brutal games with and tell lies to Martha but also when he's alone with Nick, and based on the ending, there really doesn't seem to be any reason for him would do so.

So, ultimately I don't think the movie was about a failed and bitter marriage between two people, but a failed and bitter marriage between two insane people, and I don't see any broad or universal message in that.

Reviewed by Nick9 / 10

Draws you in without knowing why

This is one of the most bizarre movie's I think I've ever seen. For a majority of the movie, I had no idea what the heck was happening. All I knew was that I was watching the aggressive bickering between a drunken couple who invites over another couple from a party, who at first were clearly uncomfortable being in their presence. After a few drinks themselves, the couple loosens up and joins in on all the seemingly random nonsense taking place. The weird thing is, no matter how confused I was for the first 90% of the movie, I was incredibly intrigued. The couple's odd behavior is absolutely captivating, especially due to the superb acting by Richard Burton along with the other three characters. I just kept wondering 'what is wrong with this couple that they are acting like this?' By the end of the film, we do get an understanding into their background. If you're looking for an absolutely unique movie that has never been done before or probably ever again, I highly recommend watching this film, as it shows great insight into personal dilemmas within relationship, no matter how bizarre those dilemmas are and to what lengths they will go to keep putting on a charade.